Praise be Jesus Christ.
We heard in the epistle from the book of Ecclesiasticus a little itinerary which was
followed by all of the saints in which each of us should also strive to follow, this program
of life, so to speak.
And the reading begins by saying,
And this is the first thing that's necessary in the lives of every person, really, that's
born into the world.
It's to recognize, first of all, his creator, his maker, the Lord who made him, that God
exists and we are not God, but he is our maker and we have been made, that he is the creator
and that we are the creature.
And by recognizing this fact, it places us in a humble position, it should humble our
hearts.
And then,
to recognize that we have needs and should turn to God to provide for our needs, especially
the need for his mercy and forgiveness.
And so the reading goes on,
And he will pray in the sight of the Most High.
He will open his mouth in prayer and will make supplication for his sins.
So again, after recognizing,
that we are God's creatures, that the Lord has made us, we then turn to prayer, we recognize
our sins, our offenses against God, and we ask him for his mercy and forgiveness.
And then what follows, for the person who humbles himself in the sight of God, who confesses
his sins, who resolves to amend his life, then God fills the soul with his wisdom and
with his light and with his understanding.
He will fill him with the spirit of understanding and he will pour forth the words of his wisdom
as showers.
He shall direct his counsel and his knowledge and in his secrets shall he meditate.
So then God comes with his light and his grace, with his gifts of the Holy Spirit, the gift
of counsel, the gift of knowledge.
To help us know the fundamental truths about ourselves, about this world, about God, to
know where we are from, where we are supposed to be going, the true path to freedom, peace,
and joy.
And then upon receiving this knowledge from God, the soul then must put it into practice,
must adhere to the truth and put it into practice.
And then upon receiving this knowledge from God, the soul then must put it into practice,
must adhere to the truth and put it into practice, with all of his strength.
He shall show forth the discipline he hath learned.
That's what that means.
The discipline that we have learned, the science of the saints that God has given us, we need
to then put it into practice as the saints did.
And then the reading finishes by explaining what happens.
What happens with those who have always cooperated with God's light and with his grace and put
it into practice.
They are then honored by men, honored by the church.
Many shall praise his wisdom, and it shall never be forgotten.
The memory of him shall not depart away, and his name shall be in request from generation
to generation, invoking the name of the saints for their intercession.
Nations shall declare his wisdom, and the church shall show forth his praise.
So again, the saints who have preceded us have made this the program of their lives,
and we also should follow in their footsteps.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.